


College Chaos

by Triskellion



Series: Consultant Verse [3]
Category: Smallville
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-12
Updated: 2012-11-12
Packaged: 2017-11-18 13:02:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/561367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Triskellion/pseuds/Triskellion
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In his second year of college, Clark decided to take some business courses. He thought his biggest problem would be avoiding excessive name dropping. He did work for Lex Luthor after all. Instead, his problem became how to keep his vindictive lover from finding out about the professor who couldn't keep his eyes to himself.</p>
            </blockquote>





	College Chaos

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by someone else doing a similar plot, and if I could remember who I'd say thanks. I thought it would be just another short, but it ended up almost as long as the original story in this series. Hopefully you all enjoy it.

“Mr. Kent, Mr. Daily, please stay after class.”

Clark wanted to roll his eyes. Badly, but he refrained. It wouldn’t do any good and he didn’t like giving any clue to Professor Garrison that the jackass was getting to him. Instead, he calmly tucked his things into his backpack while the rest of the class was filing out, then sauntered down the aisle to the front of the small, intimate classroom used for the advanced business courses.

Mike Daily met him in front of the desk. They’d worked together on a project earlier in the semester, so Clark knew Mike was the only other undergrad in the class. He was also long limbed, blond, and the star pitcher of the MetU baseball team, which meant Professor Garrison had the same eye on Mike he had on Clark. Bastard.

“Professor?” Clark inquired politely when it became clear that Professor Garrison was more than happy to just stare at the two of them for an unspecified length of time.

“Gentlemen,” the professor purred. “I know this next assignment is rather taxing for the more advanced students in this class.” 

_I.E. those who’ve already gotten a bachelors degrees in business._

“I wanted to offer you both some personal, one on one opportunities for assistance with this project.”

Clark almost wished he was human so he could hurl all over the desk. Sickening. And it had taken him far too long to realize what was with all the offers of assistance, until Chloe overheard one of their conversations and pointed out that Professor Garrison was flirting into sexual harassment territory. Looking back and cross referencing with a few movies and books, because he sure as hell wasn’t going to ask Lex for his professional opinion, Clark was pretty sure Professor Garrison was over the line for sexual harassment and had been since the second week of class.

It almost made Clark wish he hadn’t sweet talked Kansas A&M into providing a business class transcript that would allow him to take the graduate level courses, and without having his teacher’s name plastered all over the documents. Or maybe even that he hadn’t decided he should take some classes in business from someone other than Lex and get some other perspectives.

“Thank you, Professor,” Mike stuttered, something he was doing more and more in class the last week or two.

Clark repressed a frown. “Thank you for the offer, but I don’t think it will be necessary. Actually, I wanted to discuss with you the possibility of changing the focus of my assignment.”

“I know that you received a difficult company, Mr. Kent,” Professor Garrison purred. “But they were randomly assigned—“

_As if._

“—and it wouldn’t be fair to shift things around just because you’re feeling in over your head.”

Clark smiled, and watched the professors eyes glaze over. “That isn’t the problem at all.”

Garrison’s eyes snapped clear again. “Still I’m afraid I simply cannot allow you to change companies.”

“I understand you position, but if you’d allow me to explain—“

“No, you will complete the assignment as assigned. You are dismissed.”

As Garrison stormed out of the room, leaving half his notes behind, Clark did roll his eyes.

“What company were you assigned?” Mike asked softly.

“LexCorp,” Clark said, chuckling.

“That’s tough. So much of their company is under wraps because they haven’t gone public yet.” 

Clark shook his head. “Not really. Not for me. Who did you get?”

“LuthorCorp.” Mike sounded worried, and Clark couldn’t blame him. LuthorCorp was easier than LexCorp, but it was so large that the analysis required could take months, and the semester only had a month left.

“Swing by my dorm some evening this week. I have some papers that will help.” Lex always kept a close eye on his father, and Clark helped. He had the full company mapped out as of last month, which would make things manageable for Mike. With the structures mapped, finding the rest of the data required for the assignment would be manageable.

“Would tonight be too early?” Mike asked. As they stepped outside the room, they found Chloe waiting in the hall.

“What did Sexual Harassment want this time?” she asked.

Clark handed her his assignment sheet. She broke out in gales of laughter. “He wanted to offer assistance.”

“With this? You?” Chloe couldn’t move forward. She was laughing so hard she was almost doubled over.

“LexCorp is a difficult assignment,” Mike said, sounding confused.

“For Clark?” Chloe choked out.

Clark sighed. “Calm down, Chloe. I tried to explain why it wasn’t fair.” Her laughter aside, having Chloe around at MetU this year was wonderful, someone who knew about Lex and didn’t treat it like name dropping.

“I’d love to know that explanation,” Mike said.

Chloe snorted but finally straightened up, eyes streaming with tears. “Because he’s been neck deep in LexCorp since before it was founded.”

“I never consulted for LuthorCorp,” Clark said firmly, grabbing Chloe by the elbow and steering her from the business department building before anyone else could overhear their conversation. He’d been working hard to keep people from knowing his connection to Lex around here, for a wide variety of reasons. Name dropping had never been his thing, and around here the people would either give him an A just for a chance to get close to a Luthor or double the complexity of the work in an attempt to flunk him for daring to have a contact they didn’t.

“No, Lex paid you personally for the work,” Chloe said, still chortling.

“I don’t understand,” Mike said.

Clark sighed. “I’ve been friends with Lex Luthor since I was fifteen.” And his lover for six months, but that was even less well known than his consulting work.

“Saved his life. Repeatedly,” Chloe chimed in. She winked at Clark. “And sometimes consults for LexCorp. As a friend.”

“As a friend?” Mike looked… stunned.

“Well, it’s kind of paying for college. I’ve got a bit of a head for numbers.” Clark shrugged. “That’s why I’ve got the data you need to get started for LuthorCorp. Lex keeps an eye on his father’s business.”

“I can’t take everything. That would be cheating,” Mike said.

“I won’t give you anything more than what Professor Garrison would have probably provided if he was offering help as something other than an excuse to get you alone.”

Mike blushed, not as red as Clark was prone to but a respectable shade of pink. “He’s not….”

“Yes he is,” Chloe said. “And you should both report him to the dean. He’s targeting both of the undergrads. What do you want to bet he’s done it before?”

“Stay out of it, Chloe,” Clark ordered. “If my next move doesn’t shut him down, we’ll consider it, but it’s not your business.”

“Next move?” Chloe’s eyes lit up. “Oh, do tell.”

~o0o~

Actually, Clark had two steps in mind, and the first required an unexpected visit to Dr. Bradshaw. Clark had been visiting the doctor Lex had bribed since about a month after he got Hugh. The good doctor had insisted, as part of signing the paperwork that explained Clark’s long absence from school, and Clark had rather enjoyed the occasional meetings. Dr. Bradshaw was a good man, despite whatever blackmail Lex had on him, and provided good insights into human behavior when Clark was struggling, all without knowing why Clark was struggling.

“I’m sorry to intrude, Doctor, but I needed to see you.” Clark smiled from the doorway, not entering until Dr. Bradshaw waved him in.

“You’re always welcome, Clark, and the rate you pay is only a small part of it.” They shared a laugh. Clark paid his own psych bills from his consulting fees, so really Lex was paying, and paid well. But that was part of being friends with Lex Luthor, and Clark was somewhat used to it by now. The fees were higher, but the service was always exemplary. 

“Now, what’s the matter? You seemed to be doing well in school last we spoke, other than a little concern about the business department finding out about Lex.” Dr. Bradshaw frowned and rested his chin on his hands, elbows on the desk. “Has Lex done something?”

Laughing, Clark slung himself down on the very comfortable couch that he had probably paid for with his fees. “No, no. Lex is fine. Lex and I are fine.” Dr. Bradshaw was one of the very few people who knew about him and Lex (and had offered excellent advice on explaining to the Kents without Jonathan grabbing his shotgun), but Dr. Bradshaw knew almost all of Clark’s secrets and would never reveal them. He was too well paid. “No, it’s a class thing.”

Dr. Bradshaw raised an eyebrow, an expression Clark had learned meant the doctor had suspected something the last time they spoke and not pressed, but now wanted all details.

“I….” Damn, it was absurd to be so embarrassed about this when he’d been completely honest, and a bit too frank, about Lex and his occasional other attempts at dating over the years. This situation was no reflection on Clark, but he felt bad discussing it all the same. “One of my professors is being… improper.”

“Bad touching?”

Clark laughed, some of the stress bleeding away. “No, he hasn’t tried yet, but I think he would like to.”

“He?”

Clark nodded. 

“Hmmm. Legally, my response has to be to report this gentleman. Especially if he is in a position of authority over you. You did say he’s your professor.”

“I know… I just… I don’t want to ruin him, and I know if anything goes on record… Lex, you know?”

“Ahhh.” Dr. Bradshaw nodded and relaxed back into his chair. “An understandable concern. Lex is both rather vindictive and rather protective. However, I’ve noticed hints of this in our meetings all semester.”

Clark nodded, unable to keep his eyes on the doctor.

“It concerns me that you’ve been hiding this so long.”

“I thought I could manage him,” Clark said with an embarrassed shrug. “It didn’t seem like a big deal at first.”

“At first…but now you are discussing it. Is it just you he’s approaching?”

Clark shook his head.

“Hmm. You and at least one other. Not a good sign. But you’re now doing something. I assume you have a plan?”

Clark nodded.

“And how do I come in?”

Taking a deep breath, Clark said, “I want a buffer. I think I can get him to back down. I’ve managed a few bullies and he’s got that same….”

“Understood. That may work. I’m not sure what I can do to help though.”

“Like I said, I want a buffer. I thought, if you said I was showing signs of stress, I could excuse bringing Hugh back to school. A big dog like Hugh, trained or no, makes a bit of a deterrent for someone trying to get close.”

Dr. Bradshaw frowned. “I’m not sure I care much for this plan. If you, of all people, are so concerned as to want such a buffer, then I think I rather like reporting this much better.”

“I… please. I don’t want….”

~o0o~

Clark strode into Business 205 two days later with Hugh at his side and his doctor’s orders to take his companion dog everywhere for at least the next month in his pocket. He’d already reported to the administration and filled the proper paperwork, in case someone tried to throw a fit like last year. He also had a stack of folders full of explanatory paperwork in his backpack.

And in his hand, he had his completed final assignment for the class. He dropped it on Professor Garrison’s desk before claiming his seat, ignoring the questioning look from his teacher.

Seated in an aisle seat, Hugh sitting beside him so his big head almost came to Clark’s slumped shoulder, Clark watched as Professor Garrison opened the folder and began flipping through the pages. At first the pudgy man’s eyes seemed to light up, but a scowl soon took over. As the clock clicked past the top of the hour, the entire class, all fifteen of them, were soon focused on Garrison and his reaction to his reading.

“Mr. Kent,” Professor Garrison finally spat at ten past, “what is this?” His extended hand shook, rattling the pages of the folder he still held.

“My final project?” Clark replied, plastering a look of innocence on his face. “Or I suppose you could call it thirty percent of my grade.”

Garrison stalked towards Clark. “I told you I would not let you trade companies just because the assigned company was difficult. Did you really think faking up a report would make me back off?”

Clark paused, blinked, considered. “Faking?”

“There is no way this report is real,” spat Garrison. “Even if you knew every detail of LexCorp in advance of receiving this assignment, I know that this—“ He flipped the folder open to a page and shoved it in Clark’s face. “—is fake.”

Clark skimmed the page, and mentally kicked himself. Right, that project wasn’t due to be released to the public until next Monday. He’d had been planning to ditch class to attend the press conference to support Lex, since it was a project based on some of the Kryptonian technology they’d managed to wiggle out of his father’s AI.

“There is nothing fake in that document. I tried to explain—“

Garrison snapped the folder shut and cut Clark off. “Get out. I will have you expelled for this.”

“I have done nothing wrong,” Clark growled. “You can’t—“

“I can and I will. Get out, and take that damned dog with you. Pets are not allowed in MetU classrooms.”

Clark pulled the folder of companion dog documentation out of his backpack and shoved it at Professor Garrison as he stood. “Hugh is not a pet, and I have you to thank for needing his company again.”

“Expect to hear from the dean soon.”

“If you must,” Clark said. He stood there, and smirked. “But you will regret it.” 

~o0o~ 

Mike showed up in Clark’s dorm just as he was hanging up with the ombudsman who’d been assigned his case.

“You okay?” Mike asked after knocking lightly on the open door.

Clark smiled. “Yeah. I’ll be fine. It’s my mistake. I put too much into that report.”

“I can’t believe you pulled it all together in two days.” Mike smiled, leaning on the doorway, not coming all the way in.

“Like I said, I’ve been in on LexCorp since day one. All the data was available. I just had to type it up.”

“But….” Mike rubbed the back of his neck. “What the professor said. He’s going to expel you.”

“He’s going to try,” Clark agreed. While he was a little worried, he refused to show it except by digging his fingers into Hugh’s ruff. “I’m going to fight back. Mike….”

“Yes?”

“I’m going to tell the ombudsman about Professor Garrison’s behavior. Chloe will back me up with what she’s seen. But you’ve seen more, been harassed yourself. Will you testify?”

~o0o~

“Professor Silver?”

The dark haired woman at the desk looked up and smiled. “Clark? What are you doing here this early? And is that Hugh?”

Clark could feel his cheeks warm and he reflexively shifted his hand from Hugh’s leash to the top of Hugh’s head. “Sorry to bother you. But I need to reschedule my appointment for this afternoon.”

“Why?” Her back straightened and she looked worried.

“I’ve… got a bit of a problem. And a meeting with the ombudsman. I tried to schedule later, but he wouldn’t shift.”

She pointed at the chair beside the desk. “Sit, and let Hugh off duty. If he’s back with you things must be bad. I want to hear it all.”

Oddly enough, Clark felt comfortable sitting and pouring out the whole story. He’d always liked Professor Silver, and she seemed to like him. Though maybe she just liked Hugh and put up with him. The lab mix, once off his leash, was quick to plant his head in her lap and demand scritches.

It also didn’t hurt that Clark liked her classes. She taught advanced physics, and always challenged her students to take the next step. This semester he was taking chaos theory with her, and he had already read ahead to the material she recommended for the next three classes on the subject.

Professor Silver sat still and silent as Clark explained, seemingly placing all her attention on Hugh. But Clark knew better. She was listening to ever word and could recount it point by point if asked. He’d seen her do it to grad students who argued with her, then counter each point where they’d made an error.

“That’s a hell of a situation,” she said once he finally finished his tale. “And Professor Garrison is in for a hell of a ride. He really should do his research better.”

Clark frowned. He was a nobody, and Garrison knew it. The whole school probably knew, he didn’t hide it.

Silver laughed. “Oh, hun. I’m sorry. I should have mentioned last year that I’m good friends with Professor Chin. Gloria Chin? Advanced math at Kansas A&M?”

The connection hit. Clark had taken classes with Professor Chin through his last year and a half of high school, online at first and then face to face once he had a car so he could get to them. Believably. She’d argued on his behalf that he should be allowed to test out of more math classes and had always seemed to like him. And she was well aware of his connection to Lex.

“You can’t imagine my shock when the figure of many of her stories walked into my class last year.”

“You argued about Hugh,” Clark protested before he could stop himself. If she’d know, then why…?

“I couldn’t resist,” she said with a laugh. “Gloria told me about him and I wanted an excuse to get close.” She leaned over and rubbed Hugh’s ears with both hands. “Such a sweet boy,” she added in a saccharine voice. “Besides, I wanted to make sure you knew how to stand up to trouble.”

Clark had to smile. She had been the one professor to complain who directed him to the right offices to fight back. 

“But all that means I know exactly who you have backing you and just how much trouble Garrison is in. In fact…” She leaned back in her chair and tapped her chin with one hand. One of Hugh’s hairs transferred from finger to face and stuck. “You realize there’s a good chance the ombudsman assigned has been bought or otherwise subverted?”

Sighing, Clark nodded. “I got the impression from the way he fought me on scheduling that he was already against me.”

“Name?” She picked up a pen from her cluttered desk and pulled over a stack of postit notes.

“Philip Dickerson.”

She snickered as she wrote it down. “Sorry. But wow, that does not sound promising somehow.”

Clark chuckled. “I almost laughed when he introduced himself and his reason for calling.”

“Well, worst comes to worst, you call Lex in and the problem gets sorted.”

“I’d prefer not to do that. Lex would ruin Professor Garrison whether he deserves it or not. He’s…”

“Vindictive and thorough,” she said with a nod. “I’ve heard stories about Luthors since I moved to Metropolis and that Luthor in particular since he walked into Kansas A&M three years ago and turned their business department on its ear.”

Clark felt his cheeks warm again. He liked it when Lex went all Luthor for him, but he still felt guilty about the way it messed up other’s lives.

“Ah, don’t you worry, hun. Your Lex turned portions of that school around. They’re using your work with the Smallville Organic Farm Cooperative as an example in classes all over the country now, but Kansas A&M gets the credit because of you and Lex.” She snorted. “Eh, anything that happens to Garrison is probably well deserved. Don’t you worry. But if you want to try and keep it below that level, go ahead. However….” She smirked. “I need new bragging rights. This whole situation is a beautiful train wreck building steam, and I love watching chaos in action. And you need some independent study to finish off your masters in physics.”

“Masters?” he squawked. 

“I’d like to see you finish a PhD if you can pick a subject long enough to specialize.” She grinned and tapped her pen on the desk. “You’re good. I’ve checked your classes. You’ve got a masters in math though they haven’t assigned it. Do a thesis and you’ve got a PhD. I won’t push for that, not now. But I do want you to write a paper on this situation with an eye towards chaos theory. Given the constants of Garrison getting a hard on over students and Clark Kent having Lex Luthor as a friend, how many ways could it have ended well but chaos pushed through towards… well, it might still end well.”

Clark snorted. “Maybe.”

“Glad to see you’re as convinced of that as I am. So, sit back, relax, and take notes. It’s a research paper now. See if you can develop a few descriptive equations, play with the variables to describe how it could have gone.”

Damn, she had him pegged dead to rights. Clark could feel his shoulders unraveling at her suggestion. He was worried, about Garrison’s chances, about Lex getting involved, about the risk (slim though it was) of getting thrown out of school. But if it’s just a research paper…? 

“Thank you.”

“My pleasure. Oh, Gloria isn’t going to believe when I tell her this doozy.”

~o0o~

Chloe called as Clark was heading to his meeting with the Ombudsman’s office that afternoon, Hugh at his side.

“You won’t believe what I’ve found,” she chirped as soon as he picked up.

“Can it wait? I’ve got a meeting in five.”

“With the ombudsman? What was his name?”

“Philip Dickerson, and yes.”

“Then you need to hear this first. I was digging around in a few databases—“ 

“Chloe!” he yelled, then dropped his voice to a hiss that hopefully wouldn’t be overheard. “No hacking. I’m not going to let you get thrown out of school over this too.”

“I’m not going to get thrown out, and once I show this to Lex—“

“Oh no. No showing anything to Lex. I’m handing this.”

“Not if your ombudsman is Philip Dickerson. He’s handled all ten of the sexual harassment cases against Ernest Garrison in the last six years.”

“Ten?” Clark was aghast.

“Yep. Ten. And every single one was dismissed after a short investigation. There’s barely any data in the files. And I bet since he seems to target young men, that before that no one dared come forward.”

Shit. “Chloe, lose those files, and whatever you do, don’t leave traces behind.”

“Clark, I should be forwarding this to the dean or something.”

“Probably, but I’m going to give them another chance to do right.”

Chloe muttered something under her breath that sounded a lot like “Goody two shoes.”

“I just want you to be safe. If it gets to that level, I’m sure Lex will find those files without your help and without breaking the law.”

“Alright. Alright. I just wanted to help.”

“Don’t make me remind you what happens when you have good intentions.” Clark hung up, feeling he might have been a little harsh. Chloe had come a long way from the girl who’d accidentally dug into his completely illegal adoption and thrown Rachel Dunlevey at him. But she was always one backslide away from real trouble, so better to stomp on it hard.

~o0o~

“Mr. Kent, please come in. But you’ll have to leave your dog outside.”

Clark raised an eyebrow and stayed put. “I can’t do that, Mr. Dickerson.” He swung his backpack down and pulled out the folder this man’s own office had provided him. “Hugh is my companion dog and I have doctor’s orders to keep him with me at all times.” He handed the man the folder.

“Companion dog?”

“It’s like a seeing eye dog, but for people with problems other than blindness. I’ve filed paperwork with the proper departments. In fact, it should be in my academic file from last year.”

Philip Dickerson frowned, but waved Clark and Hugh into his office without further complaint. Clark sat in the seat in front of the desk and Hugh sat at attention next to him. Dickerson moved to claim his sat behind the desk and stacked the folder Clark gave him with several others on the desk.

“Well, I’ll look into that later. For now, we are meeting to discuss the accusations leveled against you by Professor Ernest Garrison of the business department here at MetU.”

“Sir, is this meeting on the record?”

“Pardon?”

“Is it being recorded?” _Or do you usually talk like that?_

“No, there’s no need for that at this point.”

Clark disagreed, but that’s why he was wearing a wire. Well, that and so he could provide verbatim transcripts for his chaos paper. Someone might cry entrapment at some point, but Clark would just point at Professor Silver, and if it reached that level of escalation Lex would be managing the details.

“Now, I’m here to hear your side of the situation. Bad enough you tried to change assignments, but to complete it in this manner? Professor Garrison was quite concerned, especially once we looked at your transcript and realized just how many advanced classes you are taking. Perhaps this is just a cry for help against overwhelming pressures from your family. I’m sure we could do something about lightening your class load.”

“Um, sir?” Clark cut in.

Dickerson jerked as if startled. Had he forgotten Clark was even present?

“What?”

“I assure you there’s nothing wrong with my course load. Can I know what the charges against me are?”

Dickerson definitely didn’t like being interrupted. “You falsified documents submitted in class for a grade, and quite possibly cheated on the rest of the report. There is no way you could complete that project as fast as you did without extensive outside help.”

Well, in a way that was true. “I categorically deny having cheated in any way shape or form,” Clark said firmly. “And every detail in that report was completely factual—“

“Impossible.”

“The project you are referring to will be released on Monday. The press conference is scheduled for ten at the LexCorp building.”

“Continuing to lie will not ender yourself to me,” Dickerson snapped.

Hugh growled softly, a trait Clark was pretty sure Lex had trained his dog in. It had made arguing with professors who wanted Hugh out of their classes last year a little more difficult, but Lex found the reaction in business meetings when people tried to argue about Clark’s corrections to their projects highly amusing.

Resting a hand on Hugh’s head, the sign to stop growling, Clark said “I am not lying. You can call LexCorp to confirm, or wait until Monday and see for yourself.”

“Even if that is true, you’re implying you’ve hacked into private files at LexCorp and included that data in a school report.”

It was getting very hard not to laugh, but that was better than throwing a temper tantrum. “No, because I worked on that project. And most of the other ones I reported in my assignment. I’ve been consulting for LexCorp for years. That’s what I tried to tell Professor Garrison when I asked for a change—“

“Enough,” Dickerson roared. “You will stop lying right now. Just because you come from the same small town as the founder of LexCorp does not mean we are going to just believe your lies. I will complete an in-depth investigation into you, Mr. Kent, and for your continued lying you can consider yourself on academic suspension until I finish. I will have your teachers informed of this, so don’t think you can sneak into class behind my back. In fact, you are banned from entering the department buildings.”

Clark blinked. He hadn’t expected that reaction so fast. What was with these people? “You know, I expected some trouble with this, but this? Allow me to throw a little more gas on the fire. I am formally accusing Professor Garrison of sexual harassment. My witnesses are Chloe Sullivan and Mike Daily. I’ll file the paperwork on the way out.” As he stood, Dickerson went purple and began spitting and stuttering.

“How dare you?” the man finally spat out.

“How dare I what? Speak the truth?” Clark snorted and walked out of the office, Hugh at his side. He had some paperwork to fill out.

“We will inform Mr. Luthor of your hacking,” Dickerson bellowed at his back.

Clark turned and smirked. “Let me know how that goes.”

~o0o~

Clark had expected a response to his meeting with Philip Dickerson that afternoon, but he hadn’t expected the response would include Professor Garrison showing up at his dorm room. If the door hadn’t already been open, Clark would have been tempted to pretend he wasn’t in, but that wasn’t an option.

“Mr. Kent, we need to speak.”

“Perhaps you could schedule an appointment in your office. That would be more appropriate.” Hugh was off leash, but had snapped to attention at Clark’s side as soon as Garrison spoke. Clark smiled down at his dog and threaded his fingers through Hugh’s ruff.

“Since you are banned from the building my office is in, that would be difficult,” Garrison said, sounding almost pleased with the situation. Despite Hugh’s presence, who he was watching a little uncertainly, Garrison slipped into the room completely and seemed to be angling to shut the door behind him.

Clark was just glad he hadn’t taken the wire off yet. He reached into his pocket and flipped it back to record. The battery should be good for another hour or two. 

“So I guess we’ll just have to talk here.” Oh yeah, Garrison was leering.

“If you insist. What do you wish to speak about?”

“Let me just…” Garrison reached for the door.

“I’d prefer if you didn’t.” Clark was very glad he’d appropriated one of Lex’s FBI grade wires, kept for dealing with Lionel, because it was accurate enough to pick up the click of his door as it was gently shut.

“No one needs to overhear this.” If Garrison had been ten years younger and a little less slimy, the look on his face might have been appealing. As it was, Clark was back to wishing he could throw up on the man. “I want to discuss you dropping your sexual harassment complaint.”

“No.” As far as Clark was concerned that was a simple matter.

“I might have been a little hasty, moving to expel you. Perhaps we could discuss redoing the assignment without the falsified data, but not while you’re keeping such a spurious complaint on the books. If you would just retract your complaint—“

Clark was wondering just how low those ten complaints Chloe found really were. “No,” he cut in.

Garrison took two steps forward, and given how small the room was almost crossed it to reach Clark. “Listen here, little boy, I will destroy you if you continue with this. I offered you a chance to stop all this, but if you continue I will have you expelled.”

“You can try,” Clark said, “but I’ve done nothing wrong.”

“You falsified documents, and I will see to it the report the dean sees is even worse than the one you handed me.”

Clark raised an eyebrow and made mental note to try and keep that from Lex. He didn’t want Garrison to die in a back alley after all.

“We could settle this so much more pleasantly.” Garrison reached out a hand as if to cup Clark’s cheek. 

Clark grabbed Garrison’s wrist before it came close and twisted into a loose joint lock. Loose so he didn’t break or strain anything. “I am not interested in you in a sexual manner, professor. Nor am I concerned by your threats.”

Garrison spat and yanked at his arm. Clark had to let him go before the man did damage to himself, and give how he cradled his arm, Clark was pretty sure a physical assault would be added to the list of crimes. 

“I’ll report you to Lex Luthor. If you think what I can do to you is bad….”

Clark had had enough. He started laughing even as Hugh started growling at his side.

“You’re insane,” Garrison said, stepping back. He stumbled over some of the books Clark had piled around. “Your transcripts said you had recovered, but I can see you’ve been lying. I’ll have you committed.”

It was hard, but Clark managed to mostly control his urge to laugh. “My doctor will be happy to hear your complaint, but it won’t go anywhere. As for Lex Luthor…” He broke into chuckles again. “Good luck with that one, if you can even get a meeting.”

Looking pale and freaked out, Garrison pulled the door open. Several of Clark’s dorm mates were in the hall outside, looking concerned.

“Clark, man, everything okay?” Brandy asked. She’d been down the hall from Clark last year and knew what Hugh growling meant.

“Fine. Professor Garrison is just leaving.” Clark smirked as the professor paled further at the witnesses and their knowing his name. But he retreated without another word.

“Did you invite him over?” Paul asked once Garrison was out of sight and earshot.

Clark shook his head.

“Did you want him here?”

“Not particularly.”

“Need witnesses?”

“Wouldn’t hurt.”

“My room, everyone. I’ll type up witness statement for you all to sign.”

“Thanks, man.” That’s right, Paul was pre law. “I appreciate it, everyone.”

~o0o~

Since he was pretty much banned from Campus, and he had no desire to see Professor Garrison again just yet, Clark spent the night at the penthouse, contentedly wrapped in his lover’s arms. He didn’t sleep over on weeknights very often, but Lex hadn’t even questioned it that night, not after he’d spotted Hugh at Clark’s side.

That unspoken support lasted through breakfast, Hugh’s morning walk, and Clark curling up in the small office next to Lex’s rather than heading back to school. There were a few projects he wanted to check up on before he got mired in finals anyway.

The peace ended around ten when Lex came through the open door between their spaces with a concerned look on his face.

“Constance just informed me that a Professor Ernest Garrison from the MetU business department has been trying to get ahold of me all morning. This latest call, he claimed it had to do with some concerns about hacking and a student of his. One Clark Kent.”

Clark sighed. Sounded like Garrison had finally found the right button to press, so to speak.

“I don’t suppose you’d care to tell me what he’s calling about?”

Considering it, Clark tapped a finger to his chin, a habit he’d picked up from Lex. “I think… no. You’ll have to decide on your own. But if you do meet with him, can you record the meeting?”

“Clark, what is going on?” Lex sat on the one bare corner of the smallish desk that was otherwise covered in papers, files, and computer equipment. He kept offering to get a bigger desk for Clark, but Clark refused, saying having an office on the executive level was more than enough of a perk. They usually talked in Lex’s office anyway, and he had plenty of desk and table space. And a couch for the occasional other activities.

“I’d prefer not to prejudice your reactions with my perspective. Not yet.” He reached down and slipped his finger’s into Hugh’s ruff. The lab mix had been curled up under the desk until Lex came in, and was now in comfort pose. How he always knew was a mystery to Clark, but he’d love to meet Hugh’s trainers someday.

“You’re making this sound like an experiment.”

“Yep. Professor Silver assigned me a paper on the situation. I think she’s planning to make me defend it, but I’m not sure if she’ll claim it’s a masters thesis or make me expand it to a PhD thesis.”

“Silver? Physics?”

Clark nodded.

“If she pushes it to a PhD, you’d better find a professor to mentor you in another for math.”

“Lex… I don’t care about the paperwork. I take the classes because they’re interesting. Besides, the stuff Jor-El is teaching me is light years ahead of anything a college professor can offer.”

“And if I could just get you interested in biochemistry, maybe you’d share some of it with me.” Lex batted his eyes at Clark, as he’d been doing since Clark admitted to some of the advanced Kryptonian learning Jor-El had begun teaching him. Clark just smiled and refused to answer. He had already transcribed three beginning biochem books, and translations, and a Kryptionian-English dictionary with the right terms. They were to be Lex’s Christmas present. He’d just have to wait another month. 

“Fine. You will break down eventually.” Lex shot Clark a heavy lidded smirk that curled right down into his stomach with a pleasant heat. “But Kryptonian learning aside, those pieces of paper are what make marketable. No one would believe what you’re capable of without them, and you really should start consulting for other companies in a few years. Once you have those papers.”

Clark knew Lex was trying to improve his opportunities, but he couldn’t resist pulling his lover’s pigtails. So he pouted. “You trying to get rid of me?” 

“Of course not,” Lex jumped to assure him, leaning forward and wrapping an arm around Clark’s shoulders.

Clark couldn’t help it. He laughed and planted a wet kiss on Lex’s right cheek just as Hugh lunged up and licked Lex’s other cheek.

Lex sputtered and pulled back, wiping at his face. But he was smiling. “I just want to be able to brag that I found the consultant that every major business want’s to hire.”

“I know.”

“But stop distracting me. Should I meet with this professor of yours?” Lex was watching Hugh as much as Clark, and Hugh had his teeth bared.

Clark shrugged and rubbed Hugh’s head until he relaxed. “It’s up to you.”

Lex looked thoughtful, and reached down to set his hand atop Clark’s on Hugh’s head. “Does this guy have anything to do with you bringing Hugh back to Metropolis?”

Clark tried to look innocent and didn’t answer. He didn’t want to prejudice anything. But Lex probably saw right through him.

“Hmm, you said you wanted a recording?”

“Please, for my paper.”

“I’ll have Constance tell him two. We’ll close the door, but feel free to listen in.”

Clark stood up and planted a firm kiss on Lex’s lips. “Thanks.”

“I can think of a better way to thank me later,” Lex suggested in a husky voice.

Clark shoved Hugh under the desk and checked his watch. “Your next meeting isn’t for twenty minutes.” 

~o0o~

With the door between their offices closed, it was almost invisible, something Clark had suggested when Lex insisted on providing a connected office for the consulting work. Not everyone who came into the office of the CEO of LexCorp needed to know about Clark and the degree of favor he had with Lex. But a lot of the time when Clark was around the door was just left open.

This afternoon, it was closed. Not that that stopped Clark from watching and listening to the whole event from the moment he heard Professor Garrison introduce himself to Constance. Twenty minutes before his appointment.

“Professor Ernest Garrison. I have an appointment with Lex Luthor.”

Clark spotted Constance’s tell that she was mentally rolling her eyes. She was the one who’d called the professor back and scheduled the appointment. She’d also produced the basic background check on the man before even passing on the request to Lex. Clark liked her. They had a mutual agreement, unspoken, to protect Lex whenever possible. She also vetted his dates for charity events and government parties, and since she started there hadn’t been another error in the vein of Desree. The Victoria types were harder to block because they knew Lex from his younger years, but they were getting whittled down too.

“I’m afraid Mr. Luthor is still at his lunch meeting. If you have a seat, I’ll let him know you’re here when he gets back.”

Clark snickered. Given that Lex was actually in his office playing Tetris with a specially hired model zoning out on his couch, Clark had a feeling Professor Garrison was in for a bit of a wait. Clark added those details to his notes for his paper.

It was twenty past two before Lex sent the model out. She wore a stylish business suit, but her hair was lightly mussed and her stride was pure runway. Garrison couldn’t miss the hint, though he showed no interest at all in watching her well defined ass go past.

Lex waited another ten minutes before using the intercom to contact Constance. Clark watched Garrison go slightly red when that wasn’t followed by an invitation to come in. In fact, that invitation didn’t come for another ten minutes, about the time he looked ready to burst a blood vessel. Clark had noticed Lex was watching his computer in the intermediate time, and figured his lover had been watching the camera feed, waiting for the perfect moment. That was something he’d learned from Lionel, then perfected. 

“Mr. Luthor will see you now.”

Garrison deflated, but still looked quite angry, as he stood and stalked to the double doors. Constance stepped in first, providing an announcement that might look formal and polite to some, but Clark knew was meant to imply Lex couldn’t be bothered to remember this minor person he had to meet with.

“Professor… Garrison,” Lex said, glancing at his screen as if he had to look it up to remind himself of the name his secretary had just announced.

“Mr. Luthor. Thank you for seeing me.” Garrison came over to Lex’s desk, hand extended.

Lex ignored it. “You said you had some important information for me.” His eyes were fixed on his computer monitor ninety percent of the time, but based on the glint in his eye, Clark had a feeling that the monitor was showing the feed from the camera behind Lex’ head, allowing him to show disinterest and yet watch every move Garrison made.

“Yes, I have a student in my graduate business class that I am quite concerned about. He’s made a number of accusations and implications, some of them about you and LexCorp.”

Lex turned to Garrison and raised an eyebrow. “Who?”

“LexCorp?” Garrison frowned.

“Who has made these accusations and implications?” Lex corrected, his attention back on his screen, his expression one of distain.

“A Smallville boy named Clark Kent.” 

“I see.”

Garrison was clearly waiting for more, and Lex was refusing to give away anything, so silence filled the room for over a minute.

“I became concerned,” Garrison finally said, “when he turned in an assignment on LexCorp with data that had to either be fabricated or stolen from your servers.”

Lex frowned and turned to Garrison. “What data?”

Garrison must have brought a copy of Clark’s report, or maybe he was dumb enough to bring the original, because he held out a familiar looking folder. “All the data in this report is surprisingly detailed for an undergraduate student, but the section on the proposed solid rocket fuel was what concerned me.”

Lex looked at the folder, at Garrison, at the folder, then, when Garrison continued to hold it out, pointed at his desk. It took another moment, but Garrison finally got the hint and set the folder down on the polished ebony surface.

“I’ll look into it. Thank you for bringing this to my attention.” Lex looked back at his computer and typed something. A moment later, Constance responded to the IM and opened the door, waving Garrison out.

He waited until the door was shut behind him before turning to Constance. “What the hell?”

“Pardon?” Constance asked politely.

“He wasn’t listening. I tell him his system has been hacked by a college student and he wasn’t listening.”

“Mr. Luthor always listens.” She pointed up at the camera that was trained right on them. “I assure you, if he says he will look into the matter, it will be dealt with. As he sees best.” She retreated behind her desk and refused to respond to any further attempt to get her attention. Eventually, Garrison got the hint and left.

~o0o~

Lex pushed open the hidden door a few minutes later, a CD in his hand. “Your recording.”

Clark smiled and popped the CD into his computer. He’d seen it all from his angle, but the one thing he hadn’t been able to see was Garrison’s expression. He scanned through the video quickly, not needing to listen to the sound (and because Hugh would growl if he heard Garrison’s voice), then froze it on the moment Garrison had stepped up to Lex’s desk.

“Oh, that’s not right,” he protested. The expression on Garrison’s face… “He’s perving you.”

“Really, Clark,” Lex drawled, propping one hip on Clark’s desk. “I know you’re a little biased, but I am a good looking man. Many people find me attractive.”

“I know that,” Clark snapped, looking at Lex. He had that long limbed look Mike had, so maybe he did fall into Garrison’s preferred type. Or one of them, since Clark didn’t match Mike or Lex. But still. “It’s not right him perving you.”

“Because I’m yours?” Lex purred.

“No, because he shouldn’t be perving you when he…” _has been perving me._ Clark barely stopped himself from saying those last wotds, but he could tell from Lex’s expression that the damage was done.

Lex’s hands gripped Clark’s shoulders tight. “He shouldn’t be looking at me like that why? Why, Clark? You recognized that look, and didn’t call it a leer. Has that bastard been harassing you?”

Clark felt his cheeks burn.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Lex let go, rocking back on his heels. “My god, Clark. How long has this been going on?” He started pacing up and down the length of the small office. 

“I reported him yesterday, after—“

His cell phone rang. Shocked, they both stopped, and Clark checked his phone. “Mom.”

Lex nodded.

“Mom?”

“Clark, sweetie? Are you in some kind of trouble at school?”

Clark’s heart sank. “Why do you ask?”

“I just got the strangest call from a Mr. Philip Dickerson. He said he’s from—“

“Hang on a sec,” Clark interrupted. “Lex needs to hear this, I think.”

Lex frowned, but didn’t protest when Clark switched the phone to speaker mode and set it on his desk. Lex just leaned in, hands on the edge of the desk.

“Martha? Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, Lex. We both are. It’s Clark I’m worried about.”

“Just tell him what happened, Mom. I think I know… but….”

“A Philip Dickerson called me, claiming to be from the ombudsman’s office at MetU. He said Clark’s in trouble, being investigated for cheating, forgery, he hinted something about a possible police investigation.”

Lex snarled. “Have you met this Philip Dickerson, Clark?”

“Yesterday. I’ll explain after Mom’s done. Mom? What did he ask?”

“How did you…? He wanted to know, after informing me you’d be expelled, whether you had any connection to Lex Luthor. Clark, I know you don’t want your friendship with Lex bandied about the school….”

“Anything you told him is fine, Mom. I’m pretty sure everything’s going pretty public soon anyway.”

“Well, I laughed at him, to be honest. Then I stuck with the stuff that anyone could find. That you two met when you saved Lex from a car accident. That you two became friends. He asked me how public the friendship was, and I’m afraid I laughed again. Told him everyone in Smallville surely knew. Was hard to miss you two hanging out in town. Everyone knew Lex was welcome at the farm.” 

“Well, that backs up half of what I told him. Thanks, Mom.”

“What is going on, Son. I haven’t told your father about this yet…”

The implied threat was plenty clear. “My business professor thought flirting with me was good fun. I tried to ignore it, make it clear I wasn’t interested. He persisted, tried to get me alone.”

Lex hissed, then jumped when Hugh pressed a cold, but supportive, nose into his tailored dress shirt. Clark put a hand on Lex’s and held on.

“His latest move was to give me an impossible project, an in-depth analysis of LexCorp. I tried to explain why that wasn’t a real assignment, but he’d expected me to try and change because it was too hard, and wouldn’t let me explain.”

Lex let out a snort of laughter.

“So I did the assignment. In two days.”

“I should hope so,” Lex snapped. “Though why you didn’t tell me about this guy—“

“I didn’t want to hear about his body being found in a back alley,” Clark admitted, eyeing the phone in place of his mother.

“Hmm. Tempting.”

“Alexander Joseph Luthor.”

Both boys winced at the angry mother tone. Clark was well indoctrinated, and Martha had sunk her claws into Lex since Clark’s breakdown.

“No killing.”

“Yes, Martha,” Lex said, the words clearly a reflex. “Besides, he deserves to suffer longer than a few days. He’s trying to have Clark expelled.” That statement was pure Lex Luthor

“Well, he did offer me an out last night,” Clark said.

Lex glared. “I know you have an eidetic memory. I want a transcript. Everything he said.”

“The early flirts I’m extrapolating and trying to remember, because I really tried not to think about it. The conversation with Dickerson and last night with Garrison I have recordings.”

Lex’s eyes lit up. Clark preferred that look when Lex was feeling creative in bed than when he was plotting to destroy someone’s life, but right now it was almost amusing.

“Copies, on my desk. Who else knows about this? And have you filed any kind of counter complaint?”

“Chloe, Mike Daily, the other undergrad in the class. He’s been getting… harassed too. And I filed after Dickerson said they’d expel me and refused to listen yesterday. I think that’s what got Garrison to come after me last night, but I’m not sure he wouldn’t have tried.”

“Where did he speak to you? Call you to his office?”

“Since I’m currently banned from half the buildings on campus, including his, he came to my dorm.”

“He what?” Martha bellowed into the phone.

“That reminds me, a bunch of my hall-mates saw him leaving. I have witness statements.” Clark dug them out of his backpack. He hadn’t wanted to leave them in his room. Just in case. “The doors are pretty thin, so some of them overheard a few things.” He offered the folder to Lex.

Lex grabbed the papers and stalked back to his office without a word.

“Clark? Are you alright?” Martha asked. 

“I’m fine, Mom.” He kept his tone even while he curled around Hugh as the dog moved half into his lap.

“What should I tell your father?”

“That a few idiots just made enemies of Lex and the problem will be solved very soon. Oh, and I didn’t cheat, so I’d be vindicated anyway as soon as I got an impartial hearing.”

~o0o~

They’d gone to bed as normal, passing a number of the night hours in pleasures other than sleep, but Clark woke to an otherwise empty bed at an absurdly early hour on Saturday morning.

He wrapped a robe about himself and sleepily wandered through Lex’s penthouse in search of his wayward lover. Lex was exactly where he expected. Typing madly into his computer in his office.

“Lex?” Clark called softly from the doorway. He didn’t want to intrude until he knew for sure Lex wasn’t working on a project that Clark didn’t have clearance for. Not that there were many of those, but LexCorp had taken on a few government contracts of late, and getting a consultant in on those was a paperwork nightmare.

It took two more repetitions of his lover’s name before Lex looked up from his monitor.

“Clark?”

“Do you know what time it is?”

Lex blinked, checked the screen, and replied, “Seven am. Perfectly reasonable hour to be up.”

“And when did you get up?”

“Ah….”

“Food, Lex. I’m sure you haven’t eaten from that glint in your eyes.”

“Ah, but I’ve just found eighteen sexual harassment reports filed against your Professor Garrison in the last six years. This guy is a piece of work.”

“Huh. Chloe only found ten.”

Lex glared. “And you didn’t mention this why?”

“Because I didn’t want her to get in trouble for hacking, I knew you’d find out anyway, and why the difference in number of reported cases?”

“Eight of them dropped their complaint before the investigation was completed.”

“Were those eight also investigated by Philip Dickerson?”

Lex’s eyes lit up and he turned back to his computer, tapping away.

Clark went and made breakfast. If he shoved a plate of food under Lex’s nose, he might eat. Eventually.

~o0o~

“I should sue the school on your behalf.”

Clark looked up from his computer in the corner of Lex’s home office. He’d rather be curled up on the couch watching a movie, but his lover was determined to destroy Garrison immediately and had spent the whole weekend at his computer and on his phone.

“That won’t help my reputation around MetU,” Clark said dryly. He was already wondering if he’d have to transfer to finish his education fairly. It wasn’t like he couldn’t swing home or to visit Lex from anywhere.

“I know. Which is why I’m refraining. I think the threat should be enough to force a few improvements. Including a better system for ensuring a nonbiased investigator into these sexual harassment cases. I’ve found evidence of another three Garrison got quashed, and four for other teachers that got misfiled for some reason.”

“You’ll investigate those teachers too?” Clark hated to think how many others had been in his position without a powerful friend to help them.

“Three were fired or encouraged to find other positions based on other incidents. The fourth will be investigated,” Lex said, his tone reassuringly bloodthirsty.

“Can we sue Garrison?” Clark asked, leaning back in his chair. “Or Dickerson?”

“Libel and defamation of character. They’ve already signed off the investigation into your cheating. Don’t worry, I’ll deal with that tomorrow. Then there’s the sexual harassment. I’m thinking a class action suit on the last, for everyone harassed by either. I’ve got investigators talking to old victims.”

“I shouldn’t let you do all this for me.” Clark was very lucky, and he abused his pull on Lex far too often over the years.

“Bullshit,” Lex said, and Clark was startled. Lex so rarely cussed. “You are a contracted consultant, and half of what Garrison said impacted LexCorp as much as you. All of that is covered by you contract, so the company lawyers get to sink their teeth in. The class action is a bit outside our preview, but again, you’re a contracted consultant. This isn’t about us being friends, Clark.”

“Or more?”

Lex smiled a bloodthirsty smile. “No, that part will only effect just how tiny the pieces I’m going to tear their lives into will be.”

~o0o~

Clark sat in the back corner of the press room watching Lex hold court over the reporters of Metropolis. He was taking notes. When—If? No, when—he got back to his journalism class, it he could write an article for credit. In a way it was applicable for his history course too, but more so for next semester’s class than this.

“This new fuel has the best power to weight ratio of any fuel currently in use on the planet Earth.” Lex paused a moment and smiled, and Clark knew that smile was for him. “It is also more stable than gasoline with fewer polluting byproducts. It is the hope of LexCorp that this new product may someday become a common fuel for automobiles. Unfortunately, the cost of production is currently too high for daily usage, so we’re selling it to NASA as rocket fuel. Once a new rocket motor is built, only one tank, a third the size of those iconic tanks used by the shuttle, will lift twice the payload of current systems into orbit.”

The questions lasted for over an hour even though every person there had a detailed press release hand out. Clark didn’t mind. He just wondered if Garrison would catch the clips on the news today, before or after Lex met with him, and the dean, at MetU.

~o0o~

Lex was laughing when he came back into the penthouse that evening. Just hearty chuckles, but the type that were the remnants of hysterical laughter some time ago.

“Lex? How did it go?”

He didn’t answer. Just pulled a wire from his pocket and threw it to Clark. And winked.

“Mr. Luthor. Thank you for meeting with us today.” 

Clark recognized the first voice as Dean McManus only by his faint Irish accent. He’d never had a reason to interact with the man to date, though that would probably change soon.

“This shouldn’t take much of your valuable time,” Dickerson purred. “We’ve completed the investigation into Mr. Kent. We just need you to sign off on the legal action with regards to the hacking into your servers.”

Silence reigned on the recording for almost a minute. Clark could imaging the look Lex was giving the gathered men.

“And what has your investigation uncovered, Mr… I don’t believe we’ve been introduced.” 

“Philip Dickerson. I’m the investigator from the Ombudsman’s Office.”

“Dickerson. I see. And what has your investigation uncovered, Mr. Dickerson?”

“Mr. Kent has cheated on his assignment and engaged in criminal activities. These are not behaviors encouraged by this educational establishment.”

Huh, they must have watched the press conference after all. Otherwise he’d be accused of faking things. That’s what the report had said last night when Lex hacked into it.

“I find that assessment very interesting,” Lex purred. “Professor Garrison provided me with this report.” Rustling of paper. “I found it quite accurate and well written.”

“The projects listed include one only released this morning,” Garrison spat out.

“Yes, I was there,” Lex said dryly. “I wonder why you assume my networks were hacked. I assure you we have excellent computer security at LexCorp. In fact, the rocket fuel project existed only on an independent network with no ties to the internet to be hacked.”

“How else could Mr. Kent get ahold of the information?” Dean McManus asked, clearly puzzled by how things were playing out.

“I would like to hear what Mr. Kent said to these gentlemen when they asked.”

“Nonsense,” Dickerson said. “Pure nonsense, playing on your connection in Smallville.”

“He claimed he consulted for you, had for years, which is absurd. He was, what, sixteen when LexCorp was formed?” Garrison added.

“Did either of you think to call LexCorp human resources and ask them if there was a contract with Mr. Kent?”

Silence rang through the room.

“But… but you didn’t say… when I visited,” Garrsion stuttered.

“Mr. Kent is an old friend. He saved my life the first two times we met,” Lex said coldly. “He also is a genius when it comes to math and science, something a number of your other professors here have noticed. So yes, he is a consultant for LexCorp. I have been paying him to review my projects since he was fifteen, and he has been well worth every penny. The rocket fuel project could never have happened without him. Admittedly, by revealing it before the press release, even in a school assignment, he is in violation of his nondisclosure agreement with LexCorp, but it was an accident of an overtired student and he has agreed to pay the fine. I see no reason to cancel the contract we have with Mr. Kent. I certainly see no reason to start legal proceedings against him.”

“I see,” Dean McManus said, his tone dark. “Thank you for clearing this matter up, Mr. Luthor.”

“My pleasure.”

“Now I am certain we’ve taken enough of your time. It seems I need to have a talk with these men.”

“I’m sure you do, but first I would like to know the progress of the sexual harassment complaint Mr. Kent filed against Professor Garrison.”

“Sexual harassment?” The dean’s voice squeaked. “What sexual harassment complaint? My god, were you two set to expel this boy just because—“

“Actually, Clark filed the complaint only after Mr. Dickerson refused to listen and promised to expel him. He hates to get other people in trouble. Bit of a thing for saving people, poor boy.” Papers rustled. “I have a transcription of the conversation with Mr. Dickerson for your files, Dean. At the back, you’ll see the other incident, where Mr. Garrison threatened Clark in his dorm room.” More rustling. “These are copies of the witness statements provided by Clark’s dorm mates after they overheard the conversation. You’ll understand the originals are filed with the LexCorp lawyers.”

“Oh, so you’re fucking the boy and now your company lawyers are going to come after me?”

Clark could feel the cold atmosphere even through the recording. He snickered, imagining Lex’s reaction. Before this, Lex had been positively friendly. Well, as friendly as he ever was with Lionel.

“Thank you. I have been recording this conversation just in case. I will be happy to add slander to the lawsuit LexCorp will be bringing against you on the behalf of our shareholders and Mr. Kent.”

That was it, Clark clicked the recording off and broke into gales of laughter. He had a feeling how the rest of the conversation went. Lex had it all planned out, after all.

“Hook, line and sinker,” Lex purred into his ear, leaning over the back of the couch Clark was perched on. “I can’t figure out how those two kept that racket going this long. I didn’t even have to start listing the stats of his old harassment.”

Clark sobered. Twenty known in seven years, ten who gave in at least, six suicides, four careers ruined, and one in a sanitarium.

“Shh, we’ll get them some revenge.” Lex nuzzled Clark’s cheek. “You broke it open.”

“I almost sat on it,” Clark hissed. “If he hadn’t pulled this I might never have done anything.”

“Chloe would have broken and told,” Lex said, a smile pulling at his cheek. “And I know once she started digging you would have broken too. It’s not in you to do otherwise. But you didn’t want to hurt an innocent. I understand.”

“So many hurt.”

“He won’t hurt anyone again.”

~o0o~

~Six Months Later~

“Did you have to offer him a job?” Clark asked quietly after they’d slipped into the limo for the drive from the courthouse to LexCorp tower. The judge’s final ruleing had come through, and Garrison was quite ruined.

“Of course,” Lex purred. “He’s a business professor, divorced, practically nothing in savings. If I was going to get you a decent settlement I need means to keep getting money from him, and no university is going to touch him after story of the suit hit the papers.”

Point. Though only the Inquirer had printed the complete story, including how Dickerson and Garrison had been sharing the boys who’d given in to their threats. Everyone else thought that tidbit too extreme.

“I won’t work with him,” Clark said, his fingers tangled in Hugh’s ruff. Somehow the dog had never returned to the farm over Christmas. Dr. Bradshaw had been very supportive, and quite concerned over the stress from the suit. Clark was pretty sure Lex was planning something. He kept smirking whenever Hugh growled at Garrison.

“I would never expect you to. He’s got a good head for business and may well make me some serious money if his projections prove true, but your work is in different divisions. No reason to cross over.”

~o0o~

“Clark.”

Pausing on his way out of his current business class, where the teacher was definitely sucking up to Lex Luthor’s friend, Clark spotted Mike running toward him. Odd. They hadn’t seen each other much since last semester, give or take in passing a few times at court.

“Chloe said I could find you here.”

“Hey, Mike. What’s up?”

“Yeah, exactly. What’s up with this?” He offered Clark a well stuffed envelope.

Clark slid out the papers and flipped through them. “The settlement papers. This is great. LexCorp is really processing everything quickly.” 

“Did you see the settlement numbers?”

Of course he had. Lex had been bragging about his plan for months, and no matter how hard Clark tried to talk him out of it, Lex would not be convinced. Though the courts had cut the number down significantly from Lex’s proposal.

“What am I going to do with a million dollars?” Mike hissed.

“Finish college?” Clark suggested. “Grad school? Start your own business?”

“Are they all the same? For all of us?” 

Clark nodded.

“How is Garrison worth this much?”

“He’s not. It’s some kind of deal Lex worked out. LexCorp is paying all the victims, or victims’s families.” In the case of the suicides. “And Garrison gets to work for LexCorp, at garnished wages and no bonuses, until he pays them back.” 

Mike winced. “Wow… harsh.”

“He’s lucky he’s not dead.” Though Dickerson was. He’d had the sense to make a deal with the LexCorp lawyers, a deal Garrison had not been offered. Dickerson was a widower with two children in college. LexCorp was making sure they finished and got started in life, one way or another, and Dickerson admitted to everything he ever did for Garrison. He’d even produced evidence and copies of doctored files. Then he’d committed suicide. Poor guy. “I tried to protect him from Lex… but he wouldn’t listen.”

“No, he wouldn’t,” Mike agreed. “But still, what am I going to do with all this? What are you doing with your million?”

“Donating most of it. I make enough as a consultant I don’t need it.” Clark shrugged. “Some women’s shelters, a rape support group, better harassment training for the university. I’ve got the list somewhere.”

“Damn… man, you are something else.”

~o0o~

They were heading back to Lex’s office from checking out one of their pet projects when Clark and Lex ran into Dr. Garrison a few weeks after the end of the trial. Their hands were entwined around Hugh’s leash, a common enough occurrence with them, even around LexCorp, that no one batted an eye. No one except Garrison. The balding ex-professor planted himself in their path, his face reddening with rage.

“I knew it. I knew you were fucking him. No other reason for all that money you spent on the court case.” Garrison was less than quiet with his accusations, and heads popped out of doorways all up and down the hallway. Gasps echoed under his bellows as loyal LexCorp employees realized who their new compatriot was yelling at. Hugh bared his teeth and growled.

Lex raised an eyebrow and, where no one but Garrison could see it, rubbed his thumb across the back of Clark’s hand. “I believe I made a point about slander in our second meeting, Dr. Garrison.”

“It’s not slander if it’s true,” Garrison said. Even through his anger, Hugh’s growl was visibly getting to him, his shoulders crawling up towards his ears.

“I doubt even the Inquisitor would take the chance on that story without solid evidence,” Lex purred.

“I know what I’ve seen.” Garrison took a half step back as Hugh advanced to the end of his leash.

“Two friends walking down the hall with a dog?” Clark asked. Damn, he was going to have to rework the end of his paper now. And Dr. Silver was pushing for an expansion to other Lex related interactions. He was going to end up defending it as a dissertation if this kept up.

“Friends?” Garrison looked at their joined hands. 

“This is nothing. I’m sure all of Smallville has seen us do the same,” Clark said. “We have been friends a long time.”

“Pedophile,” Garrison hissed. 

Those close enough to hear him all gasped and a horrified mutter ran up the hall as the word was passed on from office to office. But everyone’s eyes were fixed on Garrison, not Lex. Clark could hear every word, and all of it was in support of their CEO. No one here would back Garrison’s accusation. 

Lex smirked. “Prove it.” His eyes were hard, a stormy grey that boded ill. “Clark and I have dealt with such accusations since we met, and not one has been proven. My lawyers will be happy to add to your debt.”

Garrison finally realized, finally, that he could not win this argument. Eyes wide, hands shaking at his sides, he spat, “This isn’t over, Luthor, Kent,” and bolted up the hall at an undignified trot.

Clark turned to Lex. “Can I send Hugh back to the farm now?”

“I suppose,” Lex said. “He’s a little old for chasing chickens.”

Snorting with laughter, Clark shook his head. “You are having too much fun torturing that man.”

“Have to get my kicks somehow, farmboy, and I’m running out of local companies to destroy.”

A chuckle ran down the hall as they passed the offices, their occupants still lurking by the doorways. The lower echelons of LexCorp rarely got to see this side of Lex, but Clark had a feeling his friend’s reputation would not be suffering for today’s show.

“Go torture Lionel for awhile,” Clark suggested. “My last projections indicate he’s getting complacent.”

“Then you missed something,” Lex countered. “Dad never gets complacent, just better at hiding the plots. I’m expecting a takeover attempt in the next six months.”

Clark couldn’t understand quite why Lex was so excited about that, but it didn’t matter that much. Lex was happy, school was recovering from the Garrison debacle, Clark would be graduating college next year, and they had a summer of sunshine and research to look forward to. Life was good.


End file.
